Saudi Education Ministry takes on distance learning of 6 million students in 10 days

Saudi ministry has revealed that a new platform is being planned to support teachers and students interested in volunteering with health and logistics bodies to help battle the pandemic

Updated 28 March 2020

ASEEL BASHRAHEEL

March 28, 2020 00:23

JEDDAH: The Saudi Ministry of Education has been working relentlessly to ensure students have access to their education as the world battles the coronavirus pandemic.
Ibtisam Al-Shehri, the ministry’s spokesperson, said: “In 10 days, the ministry implemented distance learning to 6 million students. Students were offered five options by the ministry for virtual learning, accessible at any time and place.”
She added: “The ministry even made these educational tools available to those without internet access on TV through Ein channels.”
The students can gain access to their classes through 20 Ein channels on TV, Ein’s Youtube channel, Ein educational portal, future gate and unified education database. Thirty-seven million students have tuned in to view Ein’s content on the internet, excluding those watching on TV.
Al-Shehri said that students’ finals will be held as scheduled before coronavirus on Ramadan 10, but they are prepared for other emergencies with solutions such as virtual examinations in accordance with the educational calendar, virtual examinations for any given time as the current situation advances, virtual examinations for select grade levels and in-person examination for others.

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The students can gain access to their classes through 20 Ein channels on TV, Ein’s Youtube channel, Ein educational portal, future gate and unified education database. Thirty-seven million students have tuned in to view Ein’s content on the internet, excluding those watching on TV.

The ministry has also revealed that a new platform is being planned to support teachers and students interested in volunteering with health and logistics bodies to help battle the pandemic.
Meanwhile, King Abdul Aziz University (KAU) has launched an initiative to provide computers for students who do not have access to online distance learning.
KAU president, Abdulrahman bin Obaid Al-Youbi, said that more than 1,000 students had applied, and the first batch of devices had been distributed. Those wishing to apply should go to https://marz.kau.edu.sa/ShowSurveyLogin.aspx?SID=175235.

ARSAL, Lebanon: The Al-Amal Medical Center in Lebanon’s Bekaa governorate continued to provide medical services to Syrian refugees with the support of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSRelief).

It is part of a project to strengthen health services for Syrian refugees and the host community in the town of Arsal.

In May, 4,575 patients visited the clinics and received 8,123 free health services across specialized departments, in addition to receiving help from laboratory, pharmacy and nursing services.

The Al-Amal Medical Center is following the necessary procedures and precautions in light of the coronavirus pandemic to provide services to patients in a safe medical environment.

Awareness campaigns were carried out to familiarize people with precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the disease, and they were provided with items for personal hygiene.

The medical director of the project, Dr. Tariq Shandab, said that the center aimed to serve more than 45,000 people and provide them with healthcare in a variety of fields, in addition to having an emergency department that worked around the clock and an integrated pharmacy to provide free medicine to all patients.

Shandab expressed his gratitude for the humanitarian services provided by Saudi Arabia, represented by KSRelief, to the Syrian refugees and their host community.